Verilium
Verilium, sometime called Weave Iron is an extremely tough metaphysical material found in underground areas affected by potent magic. The material is highly sought after for its anti-magical and protective properties.
Properties
Physical & Chemical Properties
Verilium is an extremely tough material. Only the Dwarves of Dam Tarihr have the tools and knowledge to process it further from its raw form, shaping it into shields and other protective items. Verilium is also a very powerful magic nullifier, used in anti magic rooms, safes and containers.
Raw Verilium is corrupting anything organic that it touches. Handling of the material with bare skin may lead to severe burns and even complete loss of limbs due to rot. The dust is extremely toxic, causing symptoms akin to those of Iron Corruption but advancing much quicker. Even at a distance Verilium is still dangerous, sleeping close to a source causes nightmares or no dreams at all, and even insanity in prolonged cases.
History & Usage
History
The first deposit of verilium was found by Gilbert Irontooth during an expedition into the Deep Roads under the Needle Peaks. During his expedition his workers contracted mysterious illness, similar to Iron Corruption, which does not affect dwarves.
Irontooth began to track the cases and quickly found that the biggest outbreaks were among the diggers and tunnelers. He began suspecting the rock itself and sent samples back to his base camp, closer to Dam Tarihr, who confirmed the stone contained fragments of as of yet unknown material and that it belongs to a larger ore vein.
Irontooth immediately disbanded his expedition, at a great cost, and delved with a small skeleton crew of only 10 tunneling and mining expert dwarves towards the suspected location of the vein. By the time he made his way to the vein's core, half of his crew was infirm and in need of extensive medical care. He continued to dig for at least 2 more years, losing a leg and an eye in the process, but managed to return to the city with a sample big enough to study.
The sample was brought to the Institute of Stonecunning and Mineral Identification for further studies were its exotic anti magical properties where discovered. Irontooth named the new material Verilium, after his wife, Verilia. He was keen to return and gather more samples but his son, Duvin, insisted he stay at home and that he would go instead.
Duvin took a full mining expedition crew and disappeared into the mountains for nearly a decade. He returned with a large shipment of Verilium and several locations already marked for future mining. Shortly after his return to the city his father died was recognize as a paragon.
Everyday use
Verilium can be used in the construction of anti-magical containers and vaults. It is most commonly used by law enforcement agencies like the Nullifiers and the Pacificatores who lace their shackles and handcuffs with the material to suppress their prisoner's magical capabilities.
Hazards
Handling raw Verilium is extremely hazardous. A few hours of exposure may cause severe headaches and mild hallucinations. Long exposure to the material or direct breathing of it may lead to insanity and might cause breathing difficulties similarly to those of of Iron Corruption, but developing at much more rapid pace. If left untreated, the affliction may result in suffocation of blood vessels that leads to rotting of the limbs and in rare cases even noses or eyes, thus requiring amputations
Distribution
Trade & Market
A very lucrative and volatile market revolves around the few verilium stocks that exist. Despite the Kingdom of Dam Tarihr controlling the supply with an iron grip in order to ensure its sustainability and price stability, even a slightly bigger than normal project may disrupt the entire continental trade if it affects the few sources available in any way. The dwarven kingdom holds a monitored, and very short list of all those who are licensed to trade and handle the material in any level of production, with new traders and craftsmen required to undergo several years of bureaucratic procedures only to be accepted into the most basic of training levels, which take several more years to complete.
Law & Regulation
Verilium is extremely dangerous and merely holding the material without license is a considered a capital offense in the Free Cities. In the Vintian Imperium unregulated importing or exporting the material is a crime against the crown and in some cases, such as selling to members of the Andorian Alliance, may be considered as treason.
Current Date: 2nd of Latsum, 1572
26½Ve
55.845
Type
Metaphysical
Value
50pp per 1 lb.
Rarity
Rare
Color
Purplish Black with small Blue refractions
Common State
Solid
Related Locations
Comments